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Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you
The main recall is happening in Germany and the Netherlands after a piece of plastic was found in a product.Share79 Tweet
Strict new Covid-19 measures have been announced for the two counties – here's what you need to know.
A MAJOR REPORT into the post office network, set to be published later today, will reveal that it's close to collapse unless state support is provided.
The report, commissioned by the Irish Postmasters' Union and carried out by business advisers Grant Thornton, paints a picture of a service that is at a "critical" juncture.
Postal workers were hailed at the start of the pandemic for keeping us connected with letters and delivering much-needed online orders to our homes.
But it's also true that sending a letter to friends or family has become much less popular, following the rise of social media and email.
So today we want to know: When was the last time you sent a letter or card to friends or family?
Poll Results:
Professor Kathleen Lynch argues that a class divide is feeding injustice into our education system.
Historian Donal Fallon tells of 'The O'Rahilly', one of The Rising's most colourful characters and how his recently demolished home, 40 Herbert Park, played a part in the history of the rebellion.
This week, we hear from a Dublin dad of three who goes sea swimming and attends a local men's circle group.
Harry McCann says students involved in recent 'partying' are not representative of the majority trying to study and live within Covid guidelines.
Opinion: Class and wealth, not merit, are rewarded in Ireland's education system
Prof Kathleen Lynch
Opinion: Goodbye to O'Rahilly's 40 Herbert Park, an integral part of the story of 1916
Donal Fallon
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Spring 2012 New York Fashion Week Street Style: Day 7
39 Striking Street Style Looks from Day Seven of New York Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week Street Style
>> Long-sleeved, loose silk shifts and shirtdresses seemed the order of the day yesterday — in black, white, and in the case of Elin Kling, tan. Slightly more suprising? The resurgence of bubble skirts among Fashion Week attendees: Alexa Chung and Leelee Sobieski were both sporting them to Proenza Schouler last night. See all the aforementioned looks — plus peeks at what Sofia Coppola, Mary Kate Steinmiller, and Catherine Baba wore to the shows yesterday — in the slideshow.

subset: commoncrawl


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48 Hours in Leipzig & Colditz
Leipzig's key role in setting the rhythm for the peaceful revolution of 1989 is testament to the city's musical endowment. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, Leipzig was labelled 'City of Heroes' – a title which could also be in reference to the many great musicians, kapellmeister and composers who are arguably more popular and more prominent here than anywhere else in the world.
Leipzig clearly has a special relationship with music. In fact, it's a distinctive feature of the city's heritage. Since 1254, when the St. Thomas choir, one of the world's oldest boys' choirs, was first documented, music has struck a chord with the people of Leipzig and inspired some its finest historical buildings. The Gewandhaus concert hall, for instance, is home to the Gewandhaus Orchestra (founded in 1743) and was led for many years by eminent conductor Kurt Masur, a key player in the peaceful revolution. The concert hall also houses an impressive organ, whose 6,638 pipes provide an unforgettable aural experience. Then there's the magnificent opera house, one of the oldest music theatres in Europe, famed for its repertoire from baroque to contemporary. The impact of certain former Leipzig residents is still felt today. For example, Johann Sebastian Bach, the most famous cantor of St. Thomas Church, as well as Leipzig-born composer Richard Wagner and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, who established the first German music conservatory here in 1843. Add to that list Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck, who enchanted the city both as musicians and as lovers. The people of Leipzig themselves have a long-standing love affair with one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe: Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum has been a favourite haunt of great minds and great talents since 1711. Bach, Schumann, Liszt, Grieg and Wagner have all graced it with their presence over the centuries, as have Goethe and Lessing and even Napoleon and Augustus the Strong. A sure sign that Leipzig was, and still is, an appealing city for people from all walks of life – and not just the reserve of musicians and composers.
If you pay a visit to Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum, be sure to look in on the magnificent coffee museum on the third floor. Across 15 rooms, more than 500 exhibits spanning 300 years present the history of the drink in Saxony. For those who wish to continue on the path of Leipzig's great musical heritage, the Museum of Musical Instruments is sure to hit all the right notes. It features one of the best collections of its kind anywhere in the world, offering a fascinating insight into the city's musical history.
The marching rhythms and choirs of 1989 were anything but music to the ears of the then government, as the people of Leipzig rang out the end of the GDR. What began with church services and demonstrations in and around St. Nicholas' Church in the city centre grew into a movement that brought the regime to its knees within a matter of months. One reason these events unfolded in Leipzig is surely because one of the most infamous headquarters of the much-hated Stasi was located here at the 'Haus zur runden Ecke'. The building now houses an exhibition documenting the work of Stasi operatives – not a proud chapter in the city's history, but a significant part of Germany's recent past and well worth seeing. Leipzig Zoo delves back even further in time – several hundred million years further to be precise. Its Gondwanaland attraction takes you on a tropical journey of discovery back to the age when supercontinent Gondwana dominated the southern hemisphere. Back in the present day, you can have plenty of fun exploring the city's shops and bars. A stroll around the market square and through the narrow lanes of the old town reveals a wide assortment of second-hand bookshops and book stores, as well as chic boutiques and charming little shops. But don't be surprised if you have a tune stuck in your head as you browse – you're in Leipzig after all!
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- Status : Released
- Release Date of film : 2013-06-21
- Original title : Monsters University
- Tagline : School never looked this scary.
- Movie Genre : Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Family,
- Languages spoken : English
- Film Note : -movie_rating-
- Societies of production : Pixar Animation Studios
- Vote Count : 903
- Duration of movie : 104
- Average rate : 6.9
- Youtube Id : -youtube_id-
- Billy Crystal Character (Michael "Mike" Wazowski (voice))
- John Goodman Character (James P. "Sulley" Sullivan (voice))
- Steve Buscemi Character (Randall Boggs (voice))
- Helen Mirren Character (Dean Hardscrabble (voice))
- Joel Murray Character (Don Carlton (voice))
- Peter Sohn Character (Scott Squishy Squibbles (voice))
- Sean Hayes Character (Terri Perry (voice))
- Dave Foley Character (Terry Perry (voice))
- Charlie Day Character (Art (voice))
- Alfred Molina Character (Professor Knight (voice))
- Tyler Labine Character (Brock Pearson (voice))
- Nathan Fillion Character (Johnny Worthington (voice))
- Aubrey Plaza Character (Greek Council President (voice))
- Bobby Moynihan Character (Chet Alexander (voice))
- Julia Sweeney Character (Ms. Squibbles (voice))
- Bonnie Hunt Character (Karen Graves (voice))
- John Krasinski Character (Frightening Frank McCay (voice))
- Frank Oz Character (Fungus (voice))
- Beth Behrs Character (Carrie Williams (voice))
- John Ratzenberger Character (Yeti (voice))
- Bill Hader Character (Referee (voice))
- Bob Peterson Character (Roz (voice))
- Noah Johnston Character (Young Mike (voice))
Monsters University Synopsis:
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Not only do you have to shop for a gift for a car enthusiast, but that car enthusiast is a member of a subset: He's a racing enthusiast.
If you get him NASCAR gear and he likes F1, you'll have a pouting race fan and the worst holiday season ever. But have no fear, because Jalopnik is here to save your gift giving day.
Motorsports enthusiasts are some of the most particular people you'll ever meet. If you get a Tony Stewart fan a Jeff Gordon hat, heads will roll. If you buy a McLaren fan a Ferrari shirt, you'll be burned at the stake. If your dad liked IndyCar racing in 1995 and you get him a DVD of the 1996 Indy 500, you've got a huge issue.
But fear not, there are a number of gifts you can give a racing fan without offending his sensibilities. Check out our recommendations in Kinja below and feel free to add your own.
Photo Credit: exfordy via flickr


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« Citing Lack of Common-Core Alignment, Louisiana Poised to Delay Textbook Adoption | Main | Access to AP Courses in STEM to Grow With $5M Google Gift »
Study Probes Math Course-Taking, Finds Flaws in Repeating Algebra
New research takes a deep dive into the math course-taking patterns of students across 24 California districts from grades 7-12, with a special focus on better understanding "when and why students stumble and veer off track."
One thing that's clear from the study is that repeating algebra doesn't seem to work for a lot of students. Consider this: For those students who repeated algebra in grade 9, only one in five (21 percent) achieved proficiency afterward, according to the research, conducted by a team at WestEd and SRI International. It looks worse for students who first took algebra in 9th grade and took it again the next year. Only 9 percent scored proficient on a state exam following the second attempt.
This dimension of the new research raises questions about schools' decisions to have students repeat the subject, and what is happening (and isn't) during that experience, said Neal D. Finkelstein, a senior research scientist at WestEd and a coauthor of the study.
"We think there ought to be a bright line on this question of, 'Why do students repeat?' " he said. "And do districts understand the instructional strategies" needed to help them?
The report suggests that districts and schools should carefully review their course-placement policies, and simultaneously examine individual students' learning needs to provide more-targeted instructional assistance, rather than simply asking them to retake a class.
[The new research calls to mind a recent study from Chicago, which found that a district policy that requires some 9th graders to double up on algebra instruction identified "positive and substantial" longer-run benefits for participants, including improvements to performance on college-entrance exams, high school graduation rates, and college-enrollment rates.]
But this is just one strand of the study, which sought to examine patterns in math course-taking and their potential implications for educational policy and practice. In all, the study examined data on 24,000 California students who were 7th graders in 2004-05 and stayed in their district through grade 12.
"We think these transcript records are just so incredibly powerful ... to look at gaps in students' mastery patterns along their [academic] journey," said Finkelstein. A driving concern behind the research, he said, is concerns about the high levels of remediation required of many students after they leave high school and enter postsecondary institutions.
One key finding of the research, if not a terribly surprising one, is that students who perform well in 7th grade math are likely to take more advanced math courses in high school, compared with those who struggle in middle school math.
Even as Finkelstein was quick to say this was not exactly a "wow" conclusion, he said it was still important to "validate" this finding from prior research. At the same time, it doesn't tell the whole story, he notes.
For instance, one quarter of students who are very strong in math don't take a math class during their senior year, the study finds. And one-third of the study's entire student sample does not take math their senior year. The report argues that this is troubling, because taking four years of high school math strengthens a student's postsecondary opportunities. (The report, however, does not probe that particular issue.)
The report also found that the majority of students who attain proficiency on the math section of California state achievement tests have taken algebra 1 in 8th grade, geometry the following year, and algebra in 10th grade.
Ultimately, the report urges districts to carefully study their student course-taking data, including student performance in those courses and on state tests, to "untangle some of the common course sequences that their students are following and use the results to spark and inform conversations about the design of instruction in math and course placement policies."
In addition, even while the report is focused on the secondary level, the researchers say elementary math is a critical gateway, too. It says that the large variations in students' grade 7 math achievement suggest "that much work must be done in ... K-6 classrooms to ensure all students begin middle-school math with a strong foundation."


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About Finder
Since 1954, when it was founded, Finder has concentrated its efforts on the manufacture of quality products. Today it makes over 12,500 different products, including step relays, light dependent relays and other products for residential and commercial applications; industrial relays, miniature and ultra-slim relays, power relays, timers relay sockets and accessories.
|Finder Subsidiaries
Finder has the widest range of world-wide quality approvals of any relay manufacturer
Production facilities
Finder manufactures its products in four facilities: It's headquarters and main production plant are situated in Almese near Turin, north-west Italy. It has production plants in Sanfront near Cuneo, north-west Italy, in Saint Jean de Maurienne, south-east France and in Valencia, Spain. Finder has two logistics centres in TreburAstheim (Germany) and in Almese.
Some of the manufacturing facilities are located in the north-west Alps, an area characterised by a strong international outlook and high export achievement.
The most recent plant in Valencia, complements the existing organization both in terms of the plant's manufacturing process and emphasis on product quality.
FINDER S.p.A. sole proprietorship
Via Drubiaglio, 14 - 10040 ALMESE (TO) - ITALY
Tel. +39 011 9346211
Tax code, VAT number and company registration number: Torino 05732610018 TURIN Chamber of Commerce R.E.A. no. 730805
Capital € 100.000.000 fully subscribed


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Testimony by Firuz Kazemzadeh, Former Vice-Chairman, Rabbi David Saperstein, Former Commissioner, Nina Shea, Commissioner, and Dean Michael Young, Commissioner
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
Before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the United States Senate
June 5, 2001
Commission members deliver Annual Report to Senate Foreign Relations Committee (left to right): Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS), Commission members Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Nina Shea, Dean Michael K. Young, Rabbi David Saperstein, and Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-MD).
Thank you and good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee. My name is Firuz Kazemzadeh and it has been my honor to serve as the Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom over the last year. I wish to thank the Committee for holding today's hearing on the Commission's second Annual Report that was issued on April 30. Mr. Chairman, I respectfully request that the Commission's complete written statement and the executive summary of the Commission's report be entered into the record.
The Commission's second Annual Report fulfills an important part of the Commission's statutory mandate to provide independent policy advice to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress on ways to promote international religious freedom. Our job is to study the State Department's human rights and religious freedom reports and gather additional information - through public hearings, meetings with non-governmental and religious organizations, our own travel, and briefings by experts - and to make policy recommendations that the U.S. government can implement to promote religious freedom abroad.
Last year, we focused on three countries - China, Russia, and Sudan. This year, with a full year of work and the experience of our first report behind us, we were able to greatly expand our activities to cover more countries and some additional issues. This year's Annual Report touches on religious-freedom issues in almost two dozen countries. Besides updating China, Russia, and Sudan, we have made specific recommendations on Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, North Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam. We have additionally explored the right to persuade another to change his or her religion and have made recommendations regarding U.S. capital markets and foreign assistance. Some of these reports and recommendations were issued during the past year, and we have updated them for inclusion in the Annual Report.
I should note here that the countries included in the report are not the entire list of serious violators of religious freedom, nor are all of them equally bad. Russia, despite its problems, enjoys a much larger degree of religious freedom than many of the others. In Indonesia and Nigeria, the problem is not a central government that violates religious freedom, but a government that is not doing enough to prevent or punish violations by local or state officials and private citizens.
There is no way I can adequately summarize an almost 200-page report in these few remarks this morning. So let me just hit a few of the highlights. These observations and recommendations represent the Commissioners' consensus.
The situation in China has grown worse over the past year as the government has intensified its crackdown on the Falun Gong spiritual movement, on unregistered Protestant and Catholic Christians, on Tibetan Buddhists, and on Uighur Muslims. The Commission believes the U.S. government must make religious freedom a higher priority in bilateral relations. We reiterate last year's recommendations, including that the U.S. government do all it can to ensure that Beijing is not selected as a site for the Olympic Games, and we commend Congressional efforts to that end.
In India, a disturbing increase in violence against minority Christians and Muslims, committed mostly by Hindu nationalists, has coincided with the accession to power of the ruling BJP government, which relies on these nationalists for its core support. The U.S. government must step up the human-rights dialogue with the Indian government and bolster New Delhi's defense of religious minorities. U.S. foreign- assistance funds should be used to support civic groups that teach and foster religious tolerance.
As Indonesia struggles with centrifugal forces trying to tear the country asunder, the most serious religious violence has occurred in the Moluccan Islands, where up to 8,000 Christians and Muslims have died in sectarian violence. The violence reached new and more-deadly levels when a self-appointed militia of Muslim Laskar Jihad fighters arrived from outside the islands and stepped up attacks on Christians. The U.S. government must press Indonesia to disarm and remove all outside forces from the Moluccas and step up efforts to promote reconciliation and secure justice.
Like China, Iran has been named by the Secretary of State as a "country of particular concern," one of the worst religious-freedom violators. Baha'is, whom the government refuses to recognize as a religious minority, get the worst of it, but the situation is grim for Jews, Christians, Zoroastrians, and dissident Muslims as well. In its discussions with Iran, the U.S. must re-emphasize that improvements in religious freedom and other human rights are a prerequisite for normalization of Iranian-American relations.
The State Department notes that in North Korea, "genuine religious freedom does not exist." The government imprisons, tortures, and sometimes executes religious believers and suppresses all religious activity except that which serves state interests. The U.S. government must insist on improvements in religious freedom and improved access for outside observers to monitor religious-freedom conditions as a key part of any improvement in relations with Pyongyang.
Nigeria is, like Indonesia, a country returning to democracy, struggling to survive against forces that would strangle it in the cradle. The movement in several northern Nigerian states to expand the legal application of Shariah has sparked communal violence in which thousands have died and is a source of continuing volatility and tension between Muslims and Christians. The U.S. government must bolster Nigeria's resolve to prevent communal violence and bring perpetrators to justice. U.S. foreign assistance should also be directed at building tolerance, and Washington should press the Nigerian government to ensure equal treatment of all religious groups in the building and repairing of places of worship, in education, and in access to broadcast media.
The government of Pakistan is clearly not doing enough to protect religious freedom. Ahmadis are prevented by law from fully practicing their faith; Christians and other religious minorities are jailed or worse under the country's blasphemy law; and a system of separate electorates for religious minorities politically marginalizes them. In addition, a campaign of violence by Sunni radicals targets Shiite Muslims, who then engage in reprisal attacks. The U.S. should press Pakistan to scrap the separate-electorate system, eliminate abuses of the blasphemy law, and repeal laws and prevent discrimination targeting the Ahmadis.
Freedom of religion in Russia remains threatened, with some 1,500 religious groups facing "liquidation" for failing to meet a December 31, 2000, registration deadline. While the Putin government appears to be committed to the principle of religious freedom, it remains to be seen how vigorous it will be in addressing the nation's many religious-freedom problems, which occur mainly at the local and regional levels. The Commission reaffirms the recommendations it made in last year's annual report regarding Russia, and recommends that the U.S. government continue to monitor closely the conditions of religious freedom in Russia, including through mechanisms such as the Smith Amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, at this critical time.
The Commission has found that the government of Sudan is the world's most violent abuser of the right to freedom of religion and belief and that it is committing genocidal atrocities against the civilian population in the south and the Nuba Mountains. Tragically, the situation in Sudan has grown worse in the 12 months since release of last year's Annual Report. The government of Sudan continues to commit egregious human rights abuses - including widespread bombing of civilian and humanitarian targets, abduction and enslavement of women and children by government-sponsored militias, manipulation of humanitarian assistance as a weapon of war, and severe restrictions on religious freedom. The relationship between oil and the government's actions has become clearer. The U.S. government should now step up humanitarian aid to southern Sudan and the National Democratic Alliance, the Sudanese opposition. Commissioner Al-Marayati has issued a concurring opinion in this regard. The President should appoint a prominent, high-level envoy to work for a just and peaceful settlement of the war - pursuant to the agreed Declaration of Principles - and to press for an end to the Sudanese government's atrocities against civilians. But the United States should not appoint an ambassador to Khartoum at this time; that would only reward the regime for increased bad behavior.
Foreign companies doing business in Sudan that want to offer securities in U.S. markets should be required to disclose the full extent of their dealings in that country. Because of the close relationship between oil and the Sudanese government's human rights abuses, foreign companies involved in developing Sudan's oil and gas fields should be barred from issuing or listing securities in U.S. capital markets. And the U.S. should stop importing gum arabic from Sudan. The Commission commends the strong statements made in recent days by the President and the Secretary of State on the situation in Sudan, and welcomes the President's appointment of a special humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, which the President called "a first step" in addressing that situation, with "more to follow."
In Vietnam, the government prohibits religious activity by those not affiliated with one of the six officially recognized religious organizations. Individuals have been detained, fined, imprisoned, and kept under surveillance for engaging in "illegal" (in other words, unauthorized) religious activities. In addition, the government uses the recognition process to monitor and control officially sanctioned religious groups. The U.S. Congress should ratify the pending Bilateral Trade Agreement with Vietnam only after it passes a sense of the Congress resolution calling for the Vietnamese government to make substantial improvements in the protection of religious freedom, or after the Vietnamese government undertakes obligations to the United States to make such improvements. We've suggested a set of criteria for measuring religious-freedom conditions. Until Hanoi makes progress in this regard, the U.S. government should also withhold support for International Monetary Fund and World Bank loans to Vietnam, except those for basic human needs. We note that the U.S. abstained from the recent IMF vote to approve loans to the Vietnamese government.
Due to the deadline for printing of the Annual Report, we were not able to include our findings and recommendations with respect to countries that commissioners visited in late March: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel. On May 14, the Commission released an addendum to the second Annual Report.
Freedom of religion does not exist in Saudi Arabia, as, with few exceptions, the Saudi government strictly prohibits the public practice of religion other than its interpretation and presentation of the Hanbali school of Sunni Islam. Although the government has taken the position that private worship is allowed, persons worshipping privately have been arrested, imprisoned, deported, harassed by the authorities, and forced to go to great lengths to conceal private religious activity. The Commission reiterates the recommendation it made last July to former Secretary of State Albright that Saudi Arabia be named a country of particular concern under IRFA. The U.S. should also urge the Saudi government to expand and safeguard the freedom to worship; to act to control abuses of the religious police; to allow human rights monitors access to the country; and to promote tolerance and inter-religious dialogue.
Although there have been some positive developments in the promotion of religious freedom in recent years, the Commission finds serious problems of discrimination against a number of religious groups remain widespread in Egypt. With respect to the Christian community, restrictions on church building and repair continue to exist and religiously-based discrimination, particularly in government employment, the military and security services, remains a pervasive problem. Justice has still not been realized in the Al-Kosheh incident, and the underlying problems that contributed to the violence there have not been adequately addressed. Recently, 19 Baha'is were arrested on account of their religion and eight are currently in prison. The Egyptian government appears to cast too wide a net in its repression of those Muslims it deems to be a threat because they are "fundamentalist," and religious activities (such as wearing headscarves, growing beards, and attending religious study groups) are at times considered by the government to be indicators of both the potential for violence and, more generally, a political threat to the existing order. The press continues to engage in virulent hate speech against certain groups such as Jews and Baha'is. In light of these problems, the U.S. government should raise religious freedom issues at the highest levels with the Egyptian government and urge them to accelerate progress in addressing those issues.
The Commission sees its study of the situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories as a complex matter requiring additional work. Commissioners did not feel they were ready to make a formal report or recommendations. Commissioner Laila Al-Marayati issued a dissenting view.
In the course of examining the conditions of religious freedom and U.S. policy in several countries the Commission has made recommendations regarding the specific areas in which religious freedom could be promoted through U.S. foreign assistance. These recommendations are in line with the provisions of IRFA that explicitly endorse the use of foreign assistance funds to promote religious freedom. This can be done directly, through supporting programs such as legal advocacy, technical assistance, or human rights education; and indirectly, by supporting democracy, civil society, rule of law, professional law enforcement, and judicial independence. At the same time, the Commission is concerned that U.S. assistance should not serve to undermine the protection of religious freedom or contribute to religious intolerance, and recommends that U.S. foreign assistance is not used to support organizations that engage in violence that targets individuals on the basis of religion or that act as an instrument of official government policies of religious discrimination, or to fund programs that discriminate against recipients or beneficiaries on the basis of religion.
Further on the question of access to U.S. capital markets, the Commission proposes that any American or foreign issuer of securities be required to disclose its business activities in any country designated by the Secretary of State under IRFA as a country of particular concern. Such disclosure would inform institutional and private American investors of all the economic risks involved in purchasing those countries' securities. And the U.S. government, including Congress, needs to study how foreign companies structure their securities offerings and manipulate corporate relationships to get around U.S. economic sanctions.
Before we take any questions you might have, I'd like to make two observations. First, the Commission was gravely disappointed to learn that the United States was not reelected as a voting member of the United Nations Commission On Human Rights (UNCHR) this year. The mere fact that a country like Sudan, with its atrocious human rights record, can be and is a voting member on the UNCHR while the United States is not is a symptom of a deeper problem growing within this international body. The United States has consistently spearheaded efforts to introduce resolutions that shine a spotlight on countries that violate human rights, particularly religious freedom. These resolutions often fail to gain needed support. Considering the human rights practices of some of the members of the UNCHR, this is not surprising. However, what is even more disappointing is the conduct of traditional U.S. allies, such as members of the European Union - - specifically, their failure both to support such resolutions and earlier this month to support the membership of the United States on this important commission in which it has served since its creation in 1947. If the world cannot rely on an international body such as the UNCHR to condemn human rights violations when they occur, individual countries must take a stand. I think it is safe to predict that without the United States serving as a member of the UNCHR, violations of religious freedom will be given far less attention and all too often ignored.
Second, the terms of the present commissioners expired on May 14. These commissioners were a most politically, religiously, and professionally diverse group of people. Yet for two years, we worked harmoniously together to present to first the Clinton administration, and now the Bush administration, recommendations for promoting international religious freedom. I think that's testimony to my fellow commissioners' devotion to the cause of religious freedom. I'd like to personally thank them all for their commitment and hard work.
Thank you, and my colleagues and I would be happy to take any questions you may have.


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Special Occasions
Make Horsted Place your place for a special occasion
Private rooms for ten to sixty guests, ideal for a private lunch, dinner or afternoon tea
Birthdays, anniversaries, retirements, whatever the occasion, Horsted Place will make it an event to remember. Whether large or small, each is treated with the same attention to detail that is shown throughout the whole hotel and you can be assured that we take your special celebration as seriously as you do. Because of this, we welcome your personal touches and if you'd like to decorate the room with special photos, your own balloons and streamers or perhaps bring your own cake and candles, we'll be happy to help.
For a party with the "WOW" factor, perhaps with music, dancing and fireworks, Horsted Place is available for exclusive use for the evening and overnight. Guests have use of the whole house including all twenty double/twin bedrooms and suites and we can cater for dinner for up to 100 people.
Please call us on 01825 750581 to discuss your individual requirements and tailor-make your celebration package.


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Still haven't decided what or who to dress as for that Halloween party? Well if you have two iPad 2's laying around and some fake blood, you can impress your friends by making it appear as though there's a gaping hole in your torso. Mark Rober, a Mechanical Engineer for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, makes use of the iPad 2s' cameras and FaceTime to create this neat effect:
a relatively simple Halloween costume using 2 iPad2s to make it look like you have a huge hole in your torso. You'll also need a MiFi hotspot (if you don't have a WiFi network available where you want to use the costume). Basically you start a FaceTime chat between the iPads and then tape one to your front and one to your back. Add a little red paint and you're good to go. It's supposed to look like you have a gaping hole in your torso. If you spend more time than I did on the blood and the flesh part and lining up the iPads it could look pretty cool
This has got to be one of coolest (and geekiest) Halloween costumes ever.[youtube via Gizmodo]


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Macroeconomic Issues and Policies in the Middle East and North Africa
Show Summary Details
Macroeconomic Issues and Policies in the Middle East and North Africa
- 1 Economic Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa—An Overview
- togglePart I Selected Macroeconomic and Financial Issues
- 2 Demographic Transition in the Middle East: Implications for Growth, Employment, and Housing
- 3 Determinants of Inflation in the Islamic Republic of Iran—A Macroeconomic Analysis
- 4 Financial Liberalization in Arab Countries
- 5 Monetary Operations and Government Debt Management Under Islamic Banking
- Addendum. Recent Developments in Islamic Banking
- 6 Fiscal Sustainability with Nonrenewable Resources
- togglePart II External Policies
- 7 External Stability Under Alternative Nominal Exchange Rate Anchors: An Application to the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
- 8 Real Exchange Rate Behavior and Economic Growth in the Arab Republic of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia
- 9 Exchange Rate Unification, the Equilibrium Real Exchange Rate, and the Choice of an Exchange Rate Regime: The Case of the Islamic Republic of Iran
- Addendum. Exchange System Reforms in the Islamic Republic of Iran: A Note on Past and Current Experiences
- 10 Export Performance and Competitiveness in Arab Countries
- 11 The Impact of European Union Association Agreements on Mediterranean Countries
- Addendum. Implementation of the European Union Association Agreements
- 12 Estimating Trade Protection in Middle Eastern and North African Countries


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I recently heard an inspiring story from one of my mentors. Currently he teaches and speaks in locations all over the world. Previously he taught in the university, started and ran a company, and led a local congregation. During a talk he shared various experiences that shaped him to be the person he is today, including setbacks and failures. "Nothing is wasted," he said. Sometimes I'm tempted to think that living with psoriasis has been a wasted experience. I'm tempted to think about all I could do if I didn't have psoriasis. But the reality is that I still have a chronic, unpredictable, scaly, and stubborn skin disease. What if I have a "nothing is wasted" approach to my experiences with psoriasis?
I put that thought to the test with a recent treatment. When I first took Stelara (ustekinumab) in the middle of 2012, I sincerely expected nothing short of a miracle. Each morning I woke up hoping to see improvement on my skin. I looked forward to stopping all my other medications. I wanted to take a shot every 12 weeks and just forget about psoriasis. Boy was I wrong. Instead of getting better and better each day it go worse and worse. Eventually, after six months, I stopped completely. The first few weeks after stopping I felt so disappointed. Taking Stelara didn't quite work out for me*, but I've come to believe that it was not a wasted experience. After hearing my mentor's sharing I jotted down some thoughts about my experience with Stelara. I'll share three here:
1. It's Okay to Try and Fail: I like to tell others who ask me about my psoriasis that I've tried everything. That's obviously not the whole truth as there's lots of ideas and treatments I have never tried such as acupuncture, turmeric, or Remicade. Maybe I say that because I don't want to hear about another miracle drug, cure, or herbal remedy from another well-meaning soul. Or maybe it's that I've tried so many that haven't helped and I'm afraid to find disappointment with yet another one. Is trying something new even worth it at this stage after thirty-five years of mostly failed errors?
With Stelara I took to heart that it was worth trying even though it didn't work for me. As in life, trying something new bears attendant risks and rewards. But if there's something I want to try, after considering all the pros and cons, I need to be willing to at least try. It's okay to try something new and to have it not work out.
2. Psoriasis Makes Me Stronger: I looked at my son's phone today and on the home screen he had a short message, "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." It comes from a song sung by Kelly Clarkson that I hear on the radio all the time. I do believe psoriasis has made me stronger. In taking a treatment that failed I ended up with a lot more psoriasis everywhere. I still have a few chipped nails to show for roaring nail psoriasis. The psychological strain tested my mettle as well. Enduring those difficult times gives me confidence that I can handle much more than I thought.
3. Keep Going: Setbacks make you want to stop in your tracks. I definitely felt a major setback when one of the major new medications available to me didn't work out as I had hoped. But my doctor reminded me that there are other new treatments coming. Besides, I need to choose to embrace life and continue to live for the things that are important whatever my psoriasis condition. Others depend on me. I have so much to live for. I want to keep going even if it means going back to square one or two.
Stelara is another experience in the "itch to beat psoriasis." While I tempted to think I wasted all that time thinking about it, going to clinic, financial resources, and waiting for results it was not a wasted experience at all. Either has living with psoriasis.
Do you ever feel like having psoriasis is a waste? What are some life lessons you've learned from living with psoriasis?
*Note: I am in no way endorsing or not endorsing the use of Stelara or any other treatment. This was my personal experience with the medication, and others have had very different responses to it.
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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Sun, 2/27, DRC's live webcam will remain on til 7 pm for Members Event. You can share some of the fun even if you can't attend!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Posted by The DRC Family at 11:38 AM 1 comments
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Today Show is expected to broadcast their story on DRC's research on Blindfolded Imitation tomorrow a.m. Bet 7-8! Hope we don't get bumped again!
Posted by The DRC Family at 2:15 PM 0 comments
Monday, February 14, 2011
Happy Anniversary, Theresa!
All of us in the Dolphin Research Center family wish a very happy anniversary to the incomparable Theresa! She arrived at DRC in 1968 after doing service in the United States Navy. This means that she has been here longer than any other dolphin or human! We don't know her exact age -- and a lady is not required to tell! -- but she's somewhere in her mid-to-upper 50s.
Mother of Santini and grandmother to Tanner, she also plays the part of Nana to all of DRC's babies.
With a gentle spirit, sweet "dolphinality", and great capacity for joie de vivre, Theresa teaches all of us that you're never too old to enjoy life.
We love you, Theresa!
Posted by The DRC Family at 12:20 PM 4 comments
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Louie Update
Louie is really doing great and all of us at DRC have totally fallen for the little guy. Thank you for all of the good wishes you're sending his way. To learn more about his story, click here!
Posted by The DRC Family at 2:55 PM 3 comments
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Louie Has Landed!
Hello everyone! Wanted you to know that young Louie, the dolphin that stranded and was rehabbed in Louisiana, is now at DRC! He's settling in nicely. We'll share more details and a photo soon!
Posted by The DRC Family at 4:41 PM 3 comments
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Dolphins in your class DRC offers distance learning options Teachers & students, for details visit www.dolphins.org/distance_learning.php!
Posted by The DRC Family at 11:00 AM 0 comments


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52 11252 Cottonwood Drive, Maple Ridge Listing #: R2429155
Potential to be exempt from paying the Property Transfer Tax. "Cottonwood Ridge" Fully FINISHED Deluxe townhomes on GREENBELT - This fabulous home has 3 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms with unbelievable volume and spacious rooms making it perfect for entertaining and accommodating your family & friends all together. Some of the features include maple kitchen cabinets, quartz counter top throughout, extensive use of crown moldings, baseboards, and trim. Stainless steel appliance package included, cozy gas fireplace, huge cover deck, side by side double garage, sunny southeast facing fenced back yard, backing conservation treed park land, with view to mt. Baker. Quality European craftsman builder.
- ClthWsh
- Dryr
- Frdg
- Stve
- Garage Door Opener
- Microwave
- Security - Roughed In
- Vacuum - Roughed In
Site Influences
- Central Location
- Recreation Nearby
- Shopping Nearby
Similar Listings
Listed By: RE/MAX LifeStyles Realty
Disclaimer: The data relating to real estate on this web site comes in part from the MLS Reciprocity program of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board. Real estate listings held by participating real estate firms are marked with the MLS Reciprocity logo and detailed information about the listing includes the name of the listing agent. This representation is based in whole or part on data generated by the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board which assumes no responsibility for its accuracy. The materials contained on this page may not be reproduced without the express written consent of the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver or the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board.


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Chinese Cultural Walk
Ab AUD 0,00 AU$
- Dauer: 45 Minuten (ca.)
- Ort: Darwin, Northern Territory
- Produkt-Code: CNY
This is a 45 minute walk exploring the Chinese heritage of Darwin. Wander the area once known as Chinatown en route to see one of the last original buildings. Along the way, hear stories of market gardeners, grocers, miners, merchants and Mayors.
These tours have been made possible with the aid of NT Government and live DARWIN.
Tours operate
- Monday, Wednesday and Friday, departing at 12:30pm
- Tuesday and Thursday, departing at 4:30pm
Departure point
- Live Darwin Hub located in the Smith St Mall (Bennett St end).
There is no cost, instead, at the end of the tour show your appreciation by paying what you feel the tour was worth.
These tours have been made possible with the aid of NT Government and live DARWIN.


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Conservation through Education
Home | The Animals | Cougar
of Cougars (Purring Cats)
Common Name:
Genus/Species: Puma concolor
From southern Canada south to Patagonia in southern South America. Found from
sea level to 16,000 feet.
Natural Habitat:
Typical habitat is steep, rocky canyon country but can also be found in jungle
swamp areas and desert plains. Known to live in temperatures of ‑40 degrees to 100+ degrees.
Physical Appearance:
Physical appearance may slightly vary depending on geographic area. Males are
larger than females, otherwise appearance is similar. Adult males are
7-9 feet long, including the tail. Males weigh approximately 140-200 pounds,
females 85-125 pounds. Cougars are light brown, tawny, and in a few cases,
black; spots on side of muzzle; dark hair on tail tip; lighter on underparts.
They have acute vision and hearing. Ears are round and erect and move to focus
on sounds.
Breeding is non‑seasonal with most births occurring in summer. Females usually have young every
other year. Two or three (but sometimes 6) cubs are born after a gestation
period of 91 ‑ 95 days. Cubs are weaned at 4 ‑ 6 weeks, accompany the mother in her home range for about 2 years,
then disperse into a broader range as "floaters" in search of unoccupied
STATUS in Natural Habitat:
Threatened to Endangered depending on geographic region
Cool Fact:
Cougars have over 200 names because they inhabit the largest geographical region
of any other cat in the World. Other
names for the cougar include: mountain lion, panther, puma, catamount, American
lion, screamer, painted cat and fire cat.
Click Here For Daily Activities Schedule


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This essay seeks to account for the introduction of the analytical method into Anglo-American legal thinking in the 19th century and to identify some of the doctrinal consequences of this mode of problem-solving. I focus on a particular sense of analysis – the disaggregation into components of seemingly unified entities, not previously seen as composites. On this view, a discussion of U.S. law as involving federal law and state law does not involve analysis, but a discussion of privacy as including decisional and spatial aspects would involve analysis. The term "analysis" long predates the nineteenth century, but had previously been used by lawyers to mean "investigation" or "classification" rather than disaggregation. Drawing on research by John Pickstone, I show that the technique, though not unheard of before the 19th century, was taken up in a wide array of scientific disciplines circa 1780-1840, particularly in chemistry. This helps to explain its diffusion into other intellectual spheres, including law.
George Sharswood
The essay focuses on two areas in which the doctrinal effects of analysis readily discernible, involving the newfound concern with the "elements" of criminal offenses and the reformulation of issue preclusion in res judicata. An implication of the argument is that legal science may be profitably studied not only by looking at the statements of lawyers such as David Hoffman, Simon Greenleaf, and George Sharswood [above right], who took pains to insist that they were being scientific, but also by looking to particular instances in which lawyers adopt scientific methods, even if they do not call attention to this practice, and even if they make no claims about legal science.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Stern on the Analytical Turn in 19th-Century Legal Thought
Simon Stern, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto, has posted The Analytical Turn in Nineteenth-Century Legal Thought. Here is the abstract:


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Discussion Starter • #1 •
Hey , I am here because of my love of Chevies and inability to let one go to the scrap yard! I currently am paired with a 92 Suburban,K 1500. I sold it to some wrench monkey who promised to finish the rebuild on her. He blew the old engine trying to drag race or something. Then he and his equally "talented" cohorts put a replacement 350 tbi in ,but installed a 400 cam in it. There have been nothing but problems since. I reaquired the 'Burban and have been trying to chase all the problems down.


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The wife of a jailed Chinese cyber-dissident has travelled to the US to sue Yahoo! for its role in facilitating his prosecution.
Wang Xianoning was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in 2003 for posting what Beijing claimed were subversive materials on the net. His wife, Yu Ling, flew into the US this week with the aim of suing Yahoo! for damages and forcing the net giant to apologise for the actions of its Hong Kong division, which passed on email account information that revealed her husband's identity, the Voice of America reports.
Ling gave an interview with US government radio outlet Voice of America which will be broadcast to China via its Mandarin service.
Human rights organisations, such as Paris-based Reporters Without Borders, have repeatedly criticised Yahoo! for handing over information that has led to the prosecution and imprisonment of several Chinese cyber-dissidents. It reckons Wang is one of 50 people imprisoned in China for voicing their opinions on controversial issues online. ®


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The sixth edition of the New York Art Book Fair is approaching, taking place at MoMA PS1 between September 30 and October 2. At a time when the idea of publishing and the production of print media are constantly discussed, the New York Art Book Fair allows us a yearly survey of efforts in the field of art publishing, as well as the ability to reevaluate and reconsider publishing houses and projects that interest us on a regular basis, and a variety of events, from book signings to lectures and screenings.
The Fair features more than two hundred exhibitors: publishers, magazines, independent artists, art institutions, and distributors. In order to facilitate wandering through this expansive event, we rounded up a selection of publishing initiatives, highlighting those that survey new media art, have a strong online presence, or use technology in interesting ways.
Piracy Project / AND Publishing. Based in London, the Piracy Project is a publishing and exhibition project that organizes workshops, lectures, and open calls for pirated book projects, all directed at creating a platform from which to think about ideas of copying, re-editing, paraphrasing, and so forth.
Badlands Unlimited. Founded by artist Paul Chan, Badlands Unlimited publishes both e-books and physical artists' books. The e-books are interactive and unlike many other art e-books, take full advantage of what the technology offers by including text, images, and films. See Sarah Hromack's interview with Paul Chan here.
Half Letter Press. Initiated by Chicago-based collective Temporary Services, Half Letter Press has an online reading room with some of the best links on the internet, and they publish and distribute books on art and theory.
Eikon is a bilingual German-English journal published in Vienna that focuses on photography and new media art.
Fillip, published in Vancouver, cover critical writing and thinking about ...


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I'm afraid to type anything involving the letters "B B Q" for a while. So I'll say this involves outdoor cooking. Call it what you will:
- Adam Perry Lang is a New York chef with bonafides (Le Cirque, Daniel) who got into outdoor cooking and the competition circuit a few years ago. His second book, "Charred and Scruffed," named for some of his innovative outdoor cooking techniques, is out this summer. Lang will be in Charlotte on June 9 to sign books and demonstrate some of those innovative outdoor cooking techniques. The event is being put on by Park Road Books, but it's happening at 2:30 p.m. in the parking lot next to Carpe Diem on Elizabeth Avenue. It's free and you don't need a reservation. Just show up.
- Bob Garner is the guy who wrote the book on North Carolina's traditions of, um, outdoor cooking, with the original guide, "North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored By Time," back in the 1990s. He has a new book out, "Bob Garner's Book of Barbecue: North Carolina's Favorite Food" (John F. Blair, $24.95). He'll sign copies of that at 7 p.m. June 12 at Park Road Books.


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Founding Member
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- Mar 1, 2011
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Call it a WIP! lol! So I forged this one with fewer layers, to check out the appearance of a bolder pattern damascus blade. Again, tis is a blade consisting of 1084 and 15N20. The sunlight is dazzling on this one. Let me know what you think of the coarseness of the pattern. I am still forging high layer count patterns, so this isn't a change, just a "lets see"


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Michael Dell Gets the Green Light at Last
Sep 12, 2013 2:01 PM PT
Dell shareholders on Thursday approved founder Michael Dell's US$25 billion bid to buy back the firm and take it private, ending a seven-month battle with a group of investors led by corporate raider Carl Icahn.
This is reportedly the largest leveraged buyout since the Blackstone Group took hotel chain Hilton Worldwide private in 2007.
Michael Dell reportedly plans to boost investments in mobile devices and data-center servers together with buyout partner Silver Lake. On Wednesday, Dell revived its dormant "Venue" brand with a new Windows 8.1 tablet.
Dell did not respond to our request for further details.
'Best Done by Going Private'
"Dell is at a crossroads, as are all PC manufacturers, and it needs to look at different strategies, including software and services and vertical strategies," Mukul Krishna, senior global director at Frost & Sullivan Digital Media, told the E-Commerce Times.
"This is best done by going private, as it requires a singular focus on a massive reorganization and restricting, away from the constant scrutiny of the stock market," Krishna continued.
Dell's Q2 report in August listed a 71 percent drop in GAAP earnings per share. On a non-GAAP basis, that figure was down by 50 percent.
That was because Michael Dell "tried to start executing before they went private," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. "Their server revenue was up and they were gaining market share."
Dell "wanted to go private because he didn't want to get beaten up by financial analysts for executing his plans," Enderle averred.
Details of the Deal
Dell stockholders will get $13.75 in cash for each share of Dell common stock they hold. Further, stockholders of record as of an unspecified date prior to the effective time of the sale will get a special cash dividend of 13 cents a share.
Holders of record will also get the regular quarterly dividend of 8 cents a share for fiscal Q3.
The transaction was approved by the holders of a majority of Dell's outstanding shares, according to the preliminary vote tally, excluding shares held by Michael Dell, certain related family trusts, Dell's Board of Directors and certain members of its management.
Dell's Twisted Saga
At one point, three sets of possible buyers were eying Dell.
One set consisted of Michael Dell and Silver Lake; a second was led by Boulder Acquisition Corp. and its Blackstone Group affiliate -- the one involved in the Hilton deal, with Morgan Stanley as its lead debt financing source; and the third was Icahn and Southeastern Asset Management.
Dell had accepted Michael Dell's offer in February but was bound by law to seek alternative offers.
Battles over the price to be paid for Dell ensued, almost sinking the sale, and resulting in the price being raised twice. Institutional investors had argued that the bid was too low.
A combination of behind-the-scenes negotiations to raise the bid and amended voting rules, combined with Icahn's abandoning the battle earlier this week, led to Michael Dell's success.
What Lies Ahead
To succeed, Dell needs to adapt to the changing business situation.
The company "builds really great stuff, but one could make the case they relied on others to provide technology in a world where increasingly vendors need to supply technology top to bottom," Dan Kusnetzky, founder of The Kusnetzky Group, told the E-Commerce Times.
Michael Dell said he plans to continue building the company into the industry's leading provider of scalable, end-to-end solutions.
There is a rumor that Dell is working with Oracle and will replace HP as Oracle's partner, Enderle told the E-Commerce Times.
"We'll see if that plays out," Enderle concluded, "especially given that Oracle's hardware strategy isn't doing all that well."


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While Miranda Lambert had a night to remember, Hollywood interloper Gwyneth Paltrow gave the Country Music Awards a performance it will never forget.
The famous actress belted out "Country Strong," a tune from her forthcoming movie of the same name and wowed the crowd with her convincing performance at the 44th annual award show honoring the genre's top stars.
Accompained on-stage by crooner Vince Gill, Paltrow strummed an acoustic guitar as she poured her voice into the the song. Though she appeared nervous, she held her poise and gave a solid showing.
U.S. & World
But when it came to the awards, the night belonged to Miranda Lambert. Her chart-topping album, "Revolution," captured the Country Music Association Award for album of the year.
Hailed by critics and musicians as the best album of the year, CMA voters agreed as "Revolution" completed a sweep of major country music awards Wednesday night on Lambert's 27th birthday.
"'Revolution' truly has caused a revolution in my life this year," Lambert said after a long hug with fiance Blake Shelton.
Lambert beat out her good friends Lady Antebellum for the coveted award and also won video of the year earlier in the night. Her song, "The House That Built Me," won song of the year for songwriters Tom Douglas and Allan Shamblin. The tale of a family's hard-luck times mirrors Lambert's own upbringing and has resonated with fans, spurring her to nine nominations.
Lady A had nothing to be blue about, riding their hit "Need You Now" to wins for single of the year and vocal group. The hit song about late-night hookups helped Lady A sell 3 million albums so far this year.
"Thank you to my brother, Josh Kelley, for making me to move to Nashville six years ago, I love you," Lady A vocalist Charles Kelley said after his band took single of the year.
Charles Kelley made the journey with his good buddy Dave Haywood and the two met Hillary Scott a short time later. The rest has been nonstop success with their second album, "Need You Now," selling more than 3 million copies this year.
The Zac Brown Band won new artist of the year.
Having some fun
Hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood joined Keith Urban to kick off the show with "Songs Like This" before the hosts returned to poke lighthearted fun at the stars and current events.
"Nashville had a flood and it barely made news," they sang, "while up through the gulf came a bubbling crude."
They also made fun at Tiger Woods and Brett Favre, singing, "She caught Tiger with some tail it's plain to see, and Brett Favre has taken up photography."
Tough competition
Paisley also finally won the CMA's coveted entertainer of the year trophy Wednesday night — besting another veteran and three relative upstart acts to make it happen. Paisley has been nominated for the award every year since 2005. Though he's won 13 CMAs since first being nominated in 2000, he's never won the biggest award until tonight.
He faced tough competition from former winner Keith Urban, Lambert, Lady Antebellum and Zac Brown Band, the first act nominated for both entertainer of the year and new artist since Ricky Skaggs in 1982.
Lambert will be partying hard with fiance Blake Shelton, who also got off to a fast start with a win in the musical event category for "Hillbilly Bone" with Trace Adkins.
"That's how I like to start the night," Shelton said. "Now I can get drunk and relax."
A makeover
The entertainer of the year category underwent something of a makeover this year as the CMA membership installed a new wave of performers in key categories, acknowledging a crossover trend that is bringing country music to more new ears than ever.
The list of omissions in that category is long and includes Underwood, last year's winner Taylor Swift and several highly successful acts long considered contenders.
Still, there's no questioning the impact Lady A, Zac Brown Band and Lambert had on the industry over the past year.
"I got to make country music history, which is what everybody hope's for when they're in this industry, because I had the most nominations out of any female ever, so ... I'm having a great day already," she said, wearing a pink gown by Sherri Hill as she walked the black carpet. "It's my 27th birthday, so I'm hoping the best birthday would to take home obviously a CMA."
Lambert rode the popularity of her acclaimed platinum album "Revolution" to a record for the most nominations for a woman in the 44-year history of the CMAs and the second most overall. Both of her No. 1 hits, the sassy "White Liar" and "The House That Built Me," were nominated in two categories, song and single of the year.
The show was shown on ABC.


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Kurt Angle Out Of Olympic Trials
Kurt Angle announced today on his Twitter account that he has pulled out of the Olympic trials.
"Due to Hamstring@Knee Injuries, I'm forced to Pull Out of trials," Angle wrote. "Had a talk W/ Usa Wrestling Coach Zeke Jones Who has Supported Me all Year
"I trained Extremely hard for a full Year. I'm Very Disappointed. I want to thank All the fans for Ur Support. U Motivated Me.
"I Must focus On TNA and Lockdown Ppv, Which Has Always Been My 1st Priority. I Hope to Be Able to Put On the Best Performance I Can. TNA Has Supported My Olympic Dream Since the Day I Approached Dixie Carter about My Quest for Gold! Thank You.
"I injured My MCL in My Knee. The Doctors Say It's a partial tear which will take 4-6 Months w/ rehab. I Will have It Heavily Protected at Lockdown. I've Had Prior Knee Injuries More Serious than this @ Still Won Ncaa's but I Must Put My Job in Tna 1st. Again, thank You all for Us Support. Your Prayers and Support Have motivated Me to Put On the Best Performance I Can at Lockdown, Considering My injuries.
"As Zeke Jones told Me, We Were Hoping that Father time Would Hold Off Until After London Olympics. Unfortunately It Hit Me Hard 1 Month Prior to Olympic trials. Thank You to All My training Partners,Especially Edinboro Univ Wrestlers and Coach Tim Flynn and Tony Dipietro. Training for Gold and Wrestling for #ImpactWrestling at the Same time took it's toll. I'm Still Proud that I Went 4 It at age 43.
"Thx to All the fans Who Supported Me! I Will Heal and focus On What I Do Best and that's Perform for all Of You. GOD Bless!"
Quick Quip: In other news, I've had this headline written out for a year. I'm kidding and it sucks for Angle who himself considered making the team a longshot. He still as more Olympic medals than anyone I know!
Tags: impact wrestling, Kurt Angle, lockdown, olympics, TNA
Source: Twitter


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MARKETING & ADVERTISING • July 24, 2014
2 minutes Read
In today's digital age, small business owners are told that if they aren't online, they're missing out on endless opportunities. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Yelp – you need it all to succeed. And the most important part of your online presence? Targeted web advertisements to reach all of your key demographics. CAN Capital's Small Business Health Index however, found that only 15 percent of small business owners actually consider social media marketing like Facebook ads to be extremely important to their growth strategy. Twenty-eight percent went so far as to say they are not at all important.
So what's the answer then? Specialty online marketing firms are on the rise, but the small business owners who are in the trenches every day seem to be saying that the services they offer aren't really necessary. In fact, a recent article from The Wall Street Journal reported many times these "targeted" ads don't even reach the correct audiences and therefore, aren't the value add to businesses that they promise to be. Business owners report frequent instances of their social media advertisements, which they've paid quite a bit for, being seen by consumers hundreds of miles away from their local coffee shops or book stores. A business owner in Miami told of multiple phone calls from consumers in Texas and Virginia – not exactly the audiences she was trying to reach!
Now, we certainly don't want to discount the power of online marketing in helping small businesses grow their presence and reach audiences beyond their borders. However, if you're a small, family restaurant looking to get information out to your customers about a special, one-time promotion, you want to be sure that it is going to people nearby who can take advantage of it right away. Perhaps the potential customers in Virginia will stop by the restaurant next time they're in Miami, but that may not be for months. What's going to pay the bills until then? Furthermore, according to a December 2012-January 2013 Gallup survey, 62 percent of consumers say social media has no influence at all on their purchasing decisions. Only 5 percent say it has a great deal of influence.
So what is the answer?
Do we all give up the internet then? Are those hours spent branding your Yelp page wasted? Not at all! The key to online marketing is optimization. Rather than pouring money into advertisements on Facebook, Google and similar sites, use your social and online tools to engage with customers and build a community. In CAN Capital's recent Master Class with small business expert, Gene Marks, he said that in today's market we don't need to sell to our customers, we need to educate them. Use your Facebook and Twitter pages to offer insight on your specialty. If you're a local bookshop, share summer reading recommendations. Local clothing store? Link to articles from different magazines and blogs about current trends and designers.
Your online presence is all about building the right audience. Web ads may appear to be the quick, easy way to do that, but in the long run, building a community and strong brand identity will bring you continued success in the years to come.
Photo credit: igor kisselev/shutterstock.com


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Remarks by Angel Gurría, OECD Secretary-General, delivered at the APEC Structural Reform Ministerial Meeting, Session 1: Political Challenges of Structural Reform
3 August 2008, Melbourne, Australia
Treasurer Swan, Ministers, ladies and gentlemen,
I am delighted to be at this APEC ministerial meeting in Australia. I would like to express my recognition to Minister Swan as he sticks to the reform agenda of his country, even in these difficult times. I agree with him regarding the need to keep a long term goal rather than succumbing to the temptation of using the financial crisis and the economic downturn to relax policies. And I am particularly pleased to be invited to speak on the political economy of reform, an area that has become one of the key interests of the OECD, and where we can gain much from closer co-operation with APEC.
How to design and implement structural reform has been at the core of the OECD's mission since its inception, to promote a better functioning of the global economy and raise living standards in member and partner countries. Now, it has acquired a higher dimension, trying to figure out how reform can be successfully implemented. In the course of developing best policy advice, we have advanced understanding of what works and what doesn't when promoting flexible economies. But reform is not an easy process. What needs to be done is often clear, but policy makers commonly face a series of obstacles when trying to implement reform. Therefore, the real question is how to build and maintain consensus.
Certainly, the OECD does not tell its member and partner countries what to do. They know better. But we do tell them what others are doing, to provide an additional incentive to move faster in the reform agenda. International comparisons can be a powerful tool to foster reform, as I will show later.
There are many tools that politicians can rely on to leverage a particular reform program. International cooperation is one of them. The OECD has launched a new strand of work on the Political Economy of Reform to better understand the factors behind resistance to reform and identify ways to overcome them. This work builds on the OECD's comparative advantages: sound data and evidence-based analysis drawing on the wealth of reform experiences of our member countries. But what is new is that the type and timing of the products is very flexible and responsive to policy-makers' needs. We used to stop with the provision of policy advice, but more and more we are being asked by our member countries to go one step further to support the implementation of such advice in a timely manner.
One of the products which we have found to be very useful and effective is a publication that summarises the OECD's policy recommendations for a country on specific issues being discussed in that country. It is delivered on request and with a deadline. The first of these was done for the incoming government of President Calderón in Mexico. The following two were addressed to the Attali Commission established by France's President Sarkozy and to the Hungarian government. Although faster than our usual flagship titles, these publications nevertheless still require time and resources. Thus, some countries may prefer even shorter and faster responses from the OECD to their specific reform challenges, which we can also attempt to provide. But don't be too much on the quick fix; taking a little longer and preparing the ground well can yield better results.
Benchmarking can be another powerful driver for reform, and international organisations have much to offer in this field. Progress in other countries may trigger reform as governments are encouraged by their peers or fear to fall in the rankings. The assessment of a domestic reform agenda may change when compared with the best performing countries in the world. Complacency can't stand the test of those that are moving faster. Therefore, international commitments can also foster reform. And sometimes, a reform concept can be put forward more easily by an objective, credible outsider, like the OECD, that is perceived as neutral partner in the policy debates.
Seminars and workshops on international experiences in the implementation of specific reforms can be helpful in this respect, as can articles or interviews. Positive experiences from elsewhere can help reformers convince a reluctant electorate. Cost-benefit analysis can be made more prominent, and evidence-based debates can also underline more clearly the cost of inaction. We held such seminars for example in Mexico, jointly with a number of other international organisations, as well as in Finland, Portugal or Austria.
We have also started to work more closely with APEC countries that are not members of the OECD. Canada, the US, Australia, Mexico, Japan, Korea and New Zealand are already part of the Organisation. Russia and Chile are on their way to accession and we are providing policy advice on many areas. We established a program on enhanced engagement, with a view to membership with countries like Indonesia and China, among others. Recently, I delivered an OECD economic assessment in Indonesia, and we have worked in areas such as environment, innovation and regulation with China. Vietnam has joined the OECD Development Centre as has Peru which has also recently endorsed the OECD International Declaration on Investment.
International guidelines also help to advance the reform agenda. At the OECD we have developed such guidelines in many areas. But there is one that can be particularly relevant for this session, given it is high in APEC reform agenda: competition. We developed a Competition Assessment Toolkit which lays out general principles for promoting competition in regulated sectors, based on the successful Australian experience. The principles are simple and flexible enough to be applied to governmental activities across different sectors and countries. The Toolkit is about the "how" of reform. It provides a methodology for examining laws and regulations to identify unnecessary restraints on competition. And it is available in 11 languages. In fact, just a few days ago I delivered the Toolkit in Bahasa to the Indonesian government. My own country, Mexico, is also using the Toolkit now, and I am sure the Mexican delegates will tell you more about it.
Getting reforms right depends strongly on proper implementation. Bad implementation kills a good idea. Often, problems occur because a partial rather than a comprehensive perspective is taken. OECD analysis shows that comprehensive reform, with a clearly sequenced timetable, works better than piecemeal reform. Vested interests may find it more difficult to block a reform package that is thorough and comprehensive and that balances multiple policy objectives and interests. Having compensatory measures early in the process also helps, to avoid increased opposition of those affected that can become quite vocal.
OECD therefore promotes a whole-of-government approach, including comprehensive reviews of public administration. Ireland was the first country to ask the OECD to analyse and recommend public management reforms in areas such as e-government, human resource, budget and performance management. Greece has followed and we are currently discussing such reviews with Finland and Spain.
I would like to thank APEC for the good co-operation with OECD which we hope to continue and expand in the future. I am particularly pleased that the OECD has been invited to participate in the APEC Summit in Peru, and we will be there. In the meantime, we look forward to working with all of you to make structural reform happen and to make it work. As I mentioned at the outset, sticking to our long term goals and building the necessary ownership will make reforms succeed.
Thank you.
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Hot flashes are the number one complaint of women taking hormonal therapy to reduce the risk of breast cancer recurrence. It gives new meaning to the slang "hot mama" that's for sure. Menopausal women take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to avoid hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, like mood swings and bone loss. It is not prescribed for women that have breast cancer or a history of breast cancer because of concern over the contribution of HRT to an initial diagnosis of breast cancer, as well as its effects on risk of recurrence. What is a woman to do?
Many women start experiencing hot flashes when they are on chemotherapy which induces a temporary menopause for pre-menopausal women, that's when I first felt the effects. I have to say that for me they were not that bothersome. In fact, I found them interesting. If I experienced one, I would stop what I was doing and investigate it. For most women, that is not the case. The effects of hot flashes can destroy the quality of sleep and cause embarrassment and discomfort throughout the day. I also know what it feels like to have to ask someone if the place we were in was hot or if it was just me.
Effexor (Venlafaxine), a serotonin uptake inhibitor prescribed for depression, has been proven to reduce the incidence of hot flashes in 60 percent of women studied. It is not known to interfere with hormonal therapy or chemotherapy. It is, however, a prescription strength anti-depressant. In my last week's blog on Tamoxifen, I wrote that women who started taking an anti-depressant during the first year of treatment were more likely to be in the 25 percent of women who stopped treatment early. I wonder if this is why Effexor is so effective in reducing hot flashes. Actually, the study done on Effexor was a separate study done in 2002 at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota to investigate non-hormonal treatment for hot flashes and menopausal symptoms. It is considered effective for women whose symptoms are caused by medical intervention. This is a viable treatment option to talk to your doctor about, but it comes with the usual anti-depressant side effects.
If you are self-medicating for menopausal symptoms, I urge you to discuss it with your doctor. Cancer patients and survivors have to be so careful about what they take. Even so called alternative and natural supplements to treat menopause can prove detrimental to the effectiveness of first line cancer treatment and can be known to increase the risk of recurrence. Nothing about breast cancer is simple, and it sure isn't easy.
Vigilant always,
Important: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not Everyday Health.


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Although the Lutheran Church of Our Lady is today an internationally recognised symbol of Protestant architecture as well as a famous Dresden landmark, the Reformation initially attracted very few supporters in the city.
Luther visited Dresden in 1516 and 1518, one year after nailing his theses to the church door in Wittenberg. He was sent by his order to the Augustinian monastery, where he received a warm welcome but little sympathy for his ideas. This rejection was supported by the resident Dresden duke, who had every Lutheran Bible on his territory confiscated in 1523. Luther's followers subsequently did take the Reformation to Dresden, as commemorated by the Church of Our Lady, the Luther statue outside the church and the Martin Luther Church in Dresden's Neustadt district.
Dresden, 'Florence of the Elbe', is an artwork in itself. Beautiful buildings such as the baroque Zwinger Palace, magnificent treasures and world-class museums make this city in the Free State of Saxony a hotspot for cultural tourists from all over the world. Nature lovers can explore the Saxon Switzerland National Park with its bizarre rock formations and the gentle vineyards of the Elbe valley.
Kaks kasulikku klahvikombinatsiooni brauseris suumimiseks:
Suurendamine: +
Vähendamine: +
Täpsemat teavet saate, kui klõpsate brauseri pakkuja ikoonile:


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Panasonic's new Lumix DMC-GF5 is incredibly similar to the Lumix GF3. It's got some spec bumps, and a design tweak or two, but the main difference is that the GF5 is much more approchable for novices. And frankly, that's a welcome change of pace.
Most system cameras assume a level of technical knowledge that an average camera-buyer just doesn't have. In my short time with the GF5, though, what was most apparent is that Panasonic has beefed up its iA (intelligent auto) mode to give pop-up scene suggestions, and a teaching mode that explains why and how scenes make specific kinds of photos look better. The new features, and the simplified UI overall, is actually an effective way to teach new users about photography, instead of just having them flail around aimlessly. And of course, if you're a pro you can just avoid iA mode.
Specs-wise, the GF5 has a new 12.1MP Live MOS sensor and processor combination—though Panasonic couldn't tell us if both are brand new components, or if it's just a new combination. The ISO range is doubled, now going to 12,800, and autofocus time drops to 0.09 seconds. The touch-focus on the 3-inch, 920k-dot LCD screen can focus in on just two pixels as the center of autofocus, which means better and finer focus control overall. It also shoots at 4fps in full resolution. On the video side, it shoots 1080p at 30fps in MP4 and 1080i at 60fps in AVCHD, and there's now a stereo microphone.
Physically, the GF5 is almost identical to the GF3. It's got a new rubberized grip on the right side that makes it a lot easier to hold and shoot one-handed, and it feels a little more solid than the GF3. Otherwise, the two cameras look almost identical side-by-side. I didn't notice a huge difference from the GF3 in the photos I snapped, either, although that makes sense considering we weren't in a low-light situation. The improvements should be pretty clear once that 12,800 ISO kicks in.
The GF5 will be $600 kitted with a standard 14-42mm lens, and will also be available for $700 and $800 with a 14mm prime lens and a 14-42 powerzoom pancake lens. Ship date will be in late May, and it should be in stores by early June.


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Mosman High School
Birds on a wire is an exploration of the relationship between texture and colour. I started with spontaneous markmaking with acrylic paint, pallet knives and a squeegee, then I continued to build texture with oil paint. Critical decisions were made in joining the panels together with oil pastel sticks, forming this piece that is both abstract in its creation and figurative for the viewer.
Influencing artists: Gerhard Richter, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Mark Rothko, Gerard Stricher
Research why artists moved to abstraction in the history of art. Create a visual timeline of 20th-century artists and art styles exploring abstraction over time.
Read about how Gerhard Richter and Millie Webber apply paint to the canvas. Experiment with this approach to create an abstract painting. To what extent does chance play a part in the success of this technique?


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Digital marketing is a very new industry. It is recognised for being dynamic, incredibly face-paced and, some could argue, stays at the forefront of technology and its application to our everyday lives. This causes problems for many of those that consider themselves online (or digital) marketing professionals though.
Put us in a room without a laptop or takeaway our Internet connection and many in-depth conversations that we can have are limited. To a certain degree we've become dependent on technology, for our profession, for our livelihoods.
'Always on' Data
Now, while this dependency has its critics this isn't something that we should take to heart too much, nor will I embellish upon in this post. However accessibility (or lack thereof) is one thing that is common ground for us all. Cloud computing promised to rectify this, and while many of us (myself included) now operate almost solely in the cloud some services are still catching up.
Put bluntly, if you can't login, you can't access your data, you can't create or report on those actionable insights that your manager/client is expecting from you.
But don't fret, instead of sitting around waiting for 4G connection to actually become 4G (at least in the UK) and broadband penetration to increase in other markets we may find ourselves working remotely in, let's take to mobile, and access our data when suits us. Whether your requirements are:
- Keeping an eye on your personal blog traffic levels
- Monitoring your latest transactions on your eCommerce site
- Or last-minute checking your KPIs before rushing into your client/board meeting
The Importance of Data & Its Application
Data is arguably the key differentiating factor that separates digital marketers from traditional. Digital technologies provide a level of detailed insight undreamt of by many of our marketing peers and increasingly reaches levels of Star Trek/Minority Report-esque sci-fi accuracy, that continues to evolve at an astonishing rate.
Ensuring that you have set up (and tested!) whatever analytics package your company/client opts for from the get go, is something that many acclaimed digital marketers fall foul of, so beware and when in doubt, test! While truly understanding this data, its application, and then being able to create actionable objectives from what it is telling you is perhaps the one skill that every digital marketer worth his/her salt should possess.
To my emphasise earlier point, actually ensuring that you can access this data is a step that needs to be overcome even before we get to this…
Mobile Google Analytics: Where Art Thou?
A very valid point that was made by Justin Parks on Twitter recently that Google Analytics on mobile (specifically on iPhones) leaves a lot to be desired.
Please @google – can you sort an app on #iphone for #googleanalytics ? Browsing it currently sucks on smart phone.
— Justin Parks (@justinparks) May 2, 2013
I mean, with all the talk on responsive design, yes they've made Google Analytics on iOS responsive but seriously, my thumb is much bigger than this!
Considering everything above, and that Google is now one of the biggest companies in the world; let alone one of the most forward looking, innovative and downright mobile-crazy.
- Then why has this not been on their list of priorites?
- And moreover, why does there seem no hurry to develop this functionality?
4 Free Google Analytics iPhone Apps
So, whether you agree or disagree with Justin's point, there are alternatives available, however some are pretty costly and without the recommendation I'm not prepared to pay for several apps. A review of the features of each of these alternatives warrants another post entirely, so for now I've listed 4 Top FREE iPhone Analytics apps below that are available now that may help you view your Google Analytics data on iOS (at least until Google decides to make one themselves!). Check them out:
iDashboard iOS App
Analytics Tiles Light App
Fast Analytics App
Fishead Analytics App
Should Google Create a Google Analytics App?
It would be great to get feedback from the community on this by submitting your answer to this quick poll:
Have you come across a mobile analytics app for the iPhone that you couldn't live without? We'd love to hear your recommendations, please add them to the comments below…


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Maintaining a safe and soft play area is essential to running a successful preschool. For your outdoor areas, no surface combines safety, cleanliness, and comfort like Capitol Turf Pros' synthetic turf. Unlike grass, our artificial turf doesn't need to be maintained and won't create mud after rain. As a matter of fact, our turf has an integrated draining system that helps it dry incredibly quickly.
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When you install artificial turf at your preschool, you're guaranteed to have a surface that is:
· Comfortable. Our turf has a special heat block, so it will stay cooler than other surfaces in the sun. Also, with its soft, carpet-like feel, children get hurt when running around and playing.
· Durable. Our turf is a long-term investment. When you install our synthetic grass, you won't have to worry about wear-and-tear for about 15 — 20 years.
· Low-maintenance. Not only will our turf create an attractive, safe environment for your preschool, but it's also extremely low-maintenance. When you install artificial turf, you'll never have to worry about watering, mowing, trimming, or fertilizing.
· Sanitary. Perhaps most importantly, our turf has an antimicrobial surface that prevents bacteria buildup. Who doesn't want to be at ease about sanitation while the kids are at play?
· Water-resistant. Artificial turf is moisture-resistant and dries extremely quickly after it rains, meaning no puddles or mud patches. Plus, since our turf dries so quickly, on rainy days you can get the kids outside much faster without having to worry about a mess, like you would with real grass.
Preschool Turf Installation in Kensington, Maryland
If you're in the Kensington, Maryland area and are interested in installing turf for your preschool area—either indoors or out—contact Capitol Turf Pros today.


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You raise a good point about one battery pulling down the whole bank. It is a good idea to use a multimeter once in a while to see if all the batteries in a bank are the same voltage. If one is bad, replacing it is a good idea even though the new battery will now die at the same time as the rest of the batteries in the bank.
I've never rotated batteries because, in my case, moving an entire battery bank increases the chances of my doing something stupid like dropping a wrench onto a live battery or breaking a battery case while torquing down terminal bolts. If you ever have reason to take out a battery bank anyway, rotating would be a good idea.
Instead of rotating batteries, it might be a better to put the time into using a more advanced method of making parallel connections. Bus bars on positive and negative are still in their infancy, but they solve problems of jump wire resistance. I think we'll see more of them. Here are a couple of examples:
The trick with bus bars is that the cables from the batteries to the bus bars have to be identical length. You also need a fuse on the positive side of each paralleled battery or battery set. The fuses look like this:
If you want to parallel four batteries (or four sets of two batteries) there is a way to do it that keeps all of your cable resistance the same for the whole battery bank. It is method 4 in the attached link: http://www.smartgauge.co.uk/batt_con.html
L-16 pricing suffers from the "Walmart problem." If you are comparing apples to apples, L-16s and GC2 golf cart batteries from the same vendor will be the same or nearly so on a cost per amp hour basis. I last compared Fulll River brand AGMs and they were within a penny per amp hour of each other. Problem is, you can't stop by Costco or Walmart and pick up a large L-16 industrial battery like you can a golf cart battery. Try as they might, the brick and mortar stores that sell batteries like L-16s can't compete with the Walmarts of the world. The golf cart batteries from Costco or Walmart still work out cheaper per amp hour than where you have to go for an L-16.
There is weight. Golf cart batteries at about 65 pounds aren't that bad. I can lift a 115 pound L-16 by myself, but would lots rather do it with a friend holding the other side.


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